ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Brad Miller took a punch to the gut on Monday when told he was losing his starting shortstop role and being moved primarily to first base.On Thursday, he delivered the knockout blow in a victory.Miller hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Kansas City Royals 3-2.I just go out there and play, Miller said. Its all I can really do. Try and get after it. I think Ive shown them all year how valuable I am, but at the end of the day, I have to go out and play. Thats all that matters.Tampa Bay acquired Matt Duffy on Monday in a four-player deal that sent left-hander Matt Moore to San Francisco. Duffy will take over at short when he returns next week from a strained left Achilles tendon.Miller connected on his 19th homer off Joakim Soria (4-5), who gave up three of the Rays overall four hits during his one inning.Were lucky to have him, and it doesnt matter where plays, Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. We know his bat plays.Kanas City dropped to 40-2 when ahead after seven innings.In my view, it was a good pitch . it was down in the zone, Soria said. He hit it out, so it wasnt a good pitch.Brad Boxberger (1-0) worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the eighth before Alex Colome got his 26th save despite giving up two hits during the ninth. Drew Smyly allowed two runs, five hits, one walk and struck out 10 in seven innings.Ian Kennedy gave up one hit, walked four and had nine strikeouts in six-plus innings for the Royals. Alex Gordon hit his eighth home.Tampa Bay won the final two games to split the four-game series. The Rays are 8-25 against Kansas City since the start of the 2012 season.Gordon had not homered or driven in a run in his previous 72 at-bats against left-handers this season before hitting a two-run drive off Smyly that put Kansas City ahead 2-0 in the fourth.Smyly has given up 23 homers, including six to left-handed hitters. He didnt allow a homer to a lefty last season.Kennedy entered tied with teammate Chris Young and Toronto knuckleballer R.A. Dickey with a major league-high 26 homers allowed but hasnt given up a long ball in three consecutive starts.TRAINERS ROOMRays: RHP Chase Whitley (Tommy John surgery) will make his fourth rehab start Friday night with Double-A Montgomery.MLB SANCTIONSRoyals DH Kendrys Morales received a one-game suspension and a fine for his actions following a ninth inning ejection, which included returning to the field, in Tuesday nights game. Morales appealed the ruling and started.FUTURE IN BLUE?Major League Baseball will hold a one-day free umpiring clinic for all ages at Tropicana Field on Aug. 20. Baseball officials, including MLB umpire supervisor Charlie Reliford, will also be looking for scholarship candidates to attend a one-day pro mini-camp in December. Umpire Carlos Torres, who worked the Royals-Rays series, is a one-time camp participant that received an umpiring school scholarship.MOVING DAYTampa Bay claimed C Bobby Wilson off waivers from Texas and optioned C Curt Casali to Triple-A Durham.UP NEXTRoyals: RHP Dillon Gee (3-5) will face recently acquired Toronto LHP Francisco Liriano, who went 6-11 with Pittsburgh.Rays: Rookie LHP Blake Snell (3-4) will go against Minnesota RHP Ervin Santana (4-9) in the opener of a three-game series Friday between the ALs two worst teams. Marcus Rashford England Jersey . The 18-year-old American had five birdies in her bogey-free round for a 17-under total of 196. Lee held the overnight lead but mixed three birdies with two bogeys for a 70. Jack Butland England Jersey . Ryan Garbutt had a goal and two assists as Dallas snapped a six-game losing streak with a 5-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night. http://www.englandsoccerpro.com/Jordan-Henderson-England-Jersey/ . -- Peyton Manning will have all of his wide receivers available for the first time in a month when the Denver Broncos begin their playoff run Jan. Danny Rose Jersey . No. 13-seeded John Isner and No. 21 Philipp Kohlschreiber were among six players who dropped out of the tournament on Tuesday, joining No. 12 seed Tommy Haas and two other players who withdrew on Monday. Eric Dier Jersey . The incident occurred at 19:56 of the second period of the Kings 4-2 road win over Edmonton on Sunday. Nolan punched Oilers forward Jesse Joensuu in the jaw in front of the Kings goal during a scrum. MONTREAL -- Dont look for Georges St-Pierre to become a coach when his fighting days are over. But the mixed martial arts champion seemed to enjoy being a teacher for a day on Friday as he led a small group of newbies through the basics of kicks, blocks and chokeholds. "Twelve years ago I was teaching delinquent kids in a program for the government and it was a lot of fun," the Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight king said. Not enough to want to be a coach, however. "I loved it, but I dont know if I like it that much to do it every day," he said. "I like teaching kids better than adults, to tell the truth." St-Pierre spent an hour at his training base at Tristar Gym teaching the MMA basics to a contest winner and others from across Canada chosen by a sponsor, the NOS energy drink. They learned how to throw a leg kick without getting clobbered by a punch, how to block a kick (never with the hands) and other moves. Contest winner Lawrence Pernica of Vancouver called it "unreal. "Ive really enjoyed watching him fight. Ive been a fan of his for years." St-Pierre is on a bit of a break since posting his 11th win in a row, a unanimous decision over Nick Diaz on March. 16 at the Bell Centre. He opens training camp in September for his next bout Nov. 16 against Johny Hendricks. Earlier this month, he was in Las Vegas to play a little poker and watch Chris Weidmans stunning victory by second round knockout over Anderson Silva for the UFC middleweight title. The loss ended Silvas record 17-bout undefeated streak that began in 2006. "Im happy for Weidman, hes a friend and a training partner," said St. Pierre. "It couldnt happen to a better person. "He lost his house, he has (two) kids and now hes going to start making more money. "Im not surprised at the result. I predicted he would win, but I should make it clear: Im not happy Silva lost. Im happy that Chriss won because hes my friend.dddddddddddd" Weidman lost his home during Hurricane Sandy in 2012. UFC boss Dana White pushed for a super-fight between Silva and St-Pierre, even though the St-Isidore, Que. native would need to go up in weight class against the Brazilian. St-Pierre did not rule that out for sometime in the future, but for now, he is thinking only of Hendricks, while Silva will be concentrating on his rematch with Weidman, which is expected in December. While in Vegas, St-Pierre took part in the World Series of Poker. He hung in till the end of the first day before opting to go all-in on a hand and going bust. His tournament ended early for a second year in a row, but he said he is not a gambler at heart. "I did a stupid move at the end," he said with a laugh. "Im too emotional when I play poker and I lost like an idiot. "It was the last hand of the day and it was either go to the next round with a big pot of money like a champion, or lose like an idiot. And I lost like an idiot." St-Pierre is looking forward to fighting in Las Vegas again. His last four have been in Canada, with three of them before home town crowds in Montreal. "Vegas takes a lot of pressure off me," he said. "Promotion, for example. "When I fight here, I do it in English and French, so I do twice what my opponent does. And the last one, my opponent (Diaz) did nothing at all. So that will give me a little bit of a break." Still, he hopes to fight at least once more in Montreal before he gives up MMA. The 32-year-old is asked repeatedly when hell retire, but he has no idea. "Its not happening yet," he said. "Im in better shape than people think. I have no injuries. Im fit." St. Pierre will get plenty of help while training for the Hendricks bout. Famed boxing coach Freddie Roach and Thai boxing champion John Wayne Parr are among those slated to take part. ' ' '
